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Genealogie Bos

17 Mar 2013

Anneke Jans and the Webber Controversy

For generations descendants of a Wolfert Webber claimed that property on Manhattan Island in New York had illegally been taken from their family by the Trinity Church.Pieter Van Brugh (1666–1740), Mayor of Albany,
New York, in the periods 1699-1700 and 1721-1723, was descended from Norwegian
immigrants. His mother's parents were Anneke Jans (1605–1663)
and Roelof Janse (1602–1637), who was born on a small island in Norway (that was ceded to Sweden in
1658). In New Amsterdam Roelof received a grant of 62 acres of land on the
Hudson River on Manhattan Island in nowadaysNew York. After her
husband's death in 1637, Anneke married in 1638 the Rev. Everardus Bogardus of the Trinity Dutch Reformed Church on
ManhattanIsland.
﻿

Anneke Jans and Everardus Bogardus

Anneke Jans became famous through a long series of lawsuits initiated by her descendants, who claimed (1) ownership of real estate on Manhattan and (2) royal descent. F.A. Virkus writes in "The Compendium of American Genealogy":

"Anneke (Webber) Jans (1605-63), [..] dau. of Wolfert Webber (b 1565), said to have been son of William, 9th prince of Orange and later King of Holland".

It was even said that Anneke Jans, "daughter of Wolfert Webber, 4th King of Holland, whose father was William, Prince of Orange", was born in "the King's Mansion in Holland" in 1605.

The first and only person who held the title "King of Holland" was Louis Napoleon Bonaparte (1778-1846), who ruled The Netherlands in the period 1806-1810. The compendium probably refers to Prince William I "the Silent" of Orange(1533-1584), stadtholder of Holland. In 1565, the supposed birth date of Wolfert Webber, William was still married to his rich - but mad - 2nd wife, Anna of Saxony (1544-1577), while he was still married to his 4th wife when he was murdered. During his life William of Orange did recognise only one illegitimate son, Justinus (1559-1631). It wasn't until 1815 that one of William's descendants in the female line, Willem Frederik of Orange-Nassau (1772–1843), became the 1st King of The Netherlands.

I have never seen any
reference to a Wolfert Webber in Dutch sources. Over the years the legend has
been questioned, thoroughly researched anddisproved.
In 1973 George Olin Zabriskie published an article about it in the New York
Genealogical and Biographical Record, volume 104, p.p. 65-72 and 157-160
entitled "ANNEKE JANS FACT AND FICTION".

Apparently, Anneke Jans was born on Flekkerøy, a Norwegian island, as a
daughter of Tryntje Jonas, a midwife. In 1623 in Amsterdam,
Holland, Anneke
married Roelof Jansson, a fellow Norwegian. Together they arrived in the new
world in 1630. As a widow she did marry the Dutch Domine Everardus Bogardus.

The Quackenbush family may have been heirs of Anneke Jans estate, but - as stated above - Anneke Jans was born on Flekkerøy, a Norwegian island, as a daughter of Tryntje Jonas, a midwife. She has no relation to the Dutch Royal family.